Gentiles in the kingdom

There are several verses in Genesis that suggest the inclusion of Gentiles in God's kingdom. These passages foreshadow that the blessing of God's covenant would extend beyond Israel to all nations. Here are a few key examples:

1. The Promise to Abraham – All Nations Will Be Blessed

• Genesis 12:3 – "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
  • This is the foundational covenant with Abraham, indicating that through his offspring (ultimately Christ), all nations (Gentiles included) would receive God's blessing.
• Genesis 18:18 – "Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him."
  • Reinforces that Abraham's role is not just about Israel, but about a blessing for all peoples.
• Genesis 22:18 – "And in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."
  • This connects directly to Christ (Galatians 3:16), showing that the Gentiles would receive the kingdom through faith in Him.

2. The Blessing of Melchizedek – A Priest for All Nations

• Genesis 14:18-20 – "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, 'Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth...'"
  • Melchizedek, a Gentile priest-king, represents a priesthood outside of Israel. Psalm 110 and Hebrews 7 connect him to Christ, who is the eternal priest for all nations.

3. Jacob’s Blessing on the Nations

• Genesis 49:10 – "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples."
  • The Messiah from Judah will receive the obedience of the peoples (nations/Gentiles), showing the kingdom extends beyond Israel.

4. Joseph as a Foreshadowing of Christ’s Rule Over the Gentiles

• Genesis 41:57 – "Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth."
  • Joseph, a type of Christ, provides for all nations, prefiguring the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s kingdom.

5. Ephraim’s Blessing – A Multitude of Nations

• Genesis 48:19 – "But his father refused and said, 'I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.'"
  • Ephraim, often symbolizing the Northern tribes and later Gentile inclusion, is blessed to become "a multitude of nations" (מְלוֹא הַגּוֹיִם), a phrase suggesting Gentile participation in God’s people.

Conclusion

Genesis lays the foundation for the inclusion of the Gentiles in God's kingdom. The promises to Abraham, the blessing of Melchizedek, Jacob’s prophecy, Joseph’s rule, and Ephraim’s blessing all point to God’s plan to include the nations. These themes find their fulfillment in Christ, who extends the kingdom to all who believe (Galatians 3:8, Revelation 5:9-10).